Electroionic relay and its application to the scanning



Feb' 28, 1950 P. M. G. TOULON 2,499,233

ELECTROIONIC RELAY AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE SCANNING Filed Aug. 4, 1947 SOURC E VIDEO SIGNALS r\ Il f SIGNAL COMMUTATION Vr= |OOv.

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Vr REG. VOLT INPUT VOLTS SOURCE @l (VARIABLE VOLTAGE Il I VARIABLE VOLTAGE SOURCE vm'm PIERRE MARIE GABRIEL TOULON BY Smy@ ICOLLECTED Patented Feb. Z8, 1950 PATENT" GF-FICE ELECTROIONIC RELAY `ANDv ITSAPPLICA- TION TUTHE SCANNING? PjerrerMarie." Gabriel Toulon; Paris, ,France Armenian-August '4, 1947; 'serial Nd. .766,034 IniFance June 2,8,"1939l My inventlonorelate's.-,tola' :newstypeaot 4electrolonic "'relay; the l :Ina-in'Y characteristic 'ofr which :is thatit operates fin the fopen atmosphere;

In accordance'V with. fone-510i U its'r characteristic featuresfthe :invention 4compri/ses ya 1 point .elecA trodev placed!oppositeraollecting:electrode and brought toaahigh.Voltagewith respect Ito-the lat-r ter. Af discharge-inthe shapeo-faglow dis chargeftakes placeg: between'. thefelectrodes, 4in the neighbourhood of .f the point;` ,-thesaid -discharge containing; bottin-positive and negative electried particles. Ac'cordingeto th'efpolarity of the electrodes;v the.-collecting plateawilll attract either :thefpositive' forithe'meg'ative ypar.ticles-, thus determining @theedirectiorro fffiowsof yang electric current iny I'an output `r circuit lconnected; 'between those# electrodes. By r-e'yersingsv the -polarity' lof the flatter, fit is fpossibler to reverse'sat lwille-the direction foffth'efcurrent inifthel'oad circuit, yand. byiproperly; reducing thefyoltage between the electrodes, it isspossiblerto out'fortthel current; Such a. relay -vcan',: thereforei be -rusedffeitherfas a rectier-'or as ani interrupting" device:

My invention l:alsoy lrelates rtowvarious fforms: of realisation of Vthewahove@described relay; which, if. one for.` several-u controli gridsV arefadded to its mainzelectrodesf, may either .i assume'fthef function of an amplifier; or: perform thedutyf'ofza 'cou-y pling deviceinterposedibetweenf'rtwouelectric cire cuitslfor transmitting-'electric signals` carried'iby onef of theecircuitss4 to'` thewother," this flatterbeing independent of the formen.iv

Accordingrto. another 1 modification, vltheerelay may loe made- "'tandemg 'orrdoubley comprising; for instance;` two iemittingf. electrodesfrorapoints with one collectingfrelectrodes only-' common@ f to theftwo points:.

Accordingato nanotherrmodiiication,I .the relay may have ranf electrcdef'shapeas.farfringasur; rounding the discharge f current' andy placedi` i in they neighbourhood -ofl the 'pointfinrrorder rto'istp or :to release the discharge;-. or; .inf-,zother i'terms, for bloc-king for:unblockingithe'relayr l My invent-ion a als'otrelatesfzto lthejcomiections andssettings .which canfbe:.realised leyjmeans"ofik the above` outlined relayj toraccoInpli'slr-,for` iex-f-A` ample;f .amplicat-on .iotelectric :signals Aton-'their rectification, locking and'unlocking of .felectrlic circuits. associated therewith;unidirectional@ connectiomVbetWeeIIWoccrcuits;fetos My inventiontalso .relates .toftherapplication'of theta-boue relay vandetsiconnectionmiifor distribute ing incoming electric signals releasedffsuccessively through. onev end .the samerichann'elbetweeni sevj--f v Aatrnospl'iericpressure: `by means of, points ,carried :':at'.saxlihighL-ivoltag;

parallel at the outlet of therasaidlchannelathe said element ibeing` throwny incineration.4 successively fon; reception of "signalen intended' forfftlziem individually. In Athis respect my inventionrimay beparticularly useful for securingthe distribue tion of television "signals -ftoz the relementsvof'a screen made 'out 0f=..agreat'nu1nber ot such elec mentary components properly juxtaposed; [sonas to i reproduce television pictures.

And. lastly,y my invention` relatesvto Variousrin:-` dustrial applications-,of thezabovef-relays: n

Asfthey make-use ot the glow dischargeg'.- those relays` can operate at atmospherimy pressure; They do not, therefore;need:alsealedfenclosure,

tubes.- Therefrom, resultsf; a .considerableifsims plication .of the VWiring-1 The *relays accord-ing tothe-:invention lcan be mountedsidefzby'fside and occupyaveryf'smalltspace. They can: be assembled ingroups, and easilydismounted.

Al better 'understanding of my invention-vof its objects-audits embodiments,A may be obtained by reference-to rthe followinglgures of: the draw ings.- which show `representative f instances y'of its -applications and lare ot an fillustrativefbut fnota limitativexcharacter. l

Fig. 1--i11ustrates-the principle andatheafunda mental circuit diagram of a glow discharge relay;

Fig@ 2 represents :'a characteristic A.curve fof iithe Vsamefrelay.

Fig. 3 illustrates.the:applications-of. the fglow discharge relay of Figure 1 to-the-.scanningioff-'a television. screen;

Fig. 4a-showsfa relay irrevvhich` theelectrodes aredsposed in .tandem, ar-1d,' associatedzzthere, with, thefcircuits intended for. operatingfan ele; mentof a televisionscreen;

All the above -gures tarefprovidedf byiwayiof 'ex.- ample-only'fandV are `not'l intended to 'be limitative, and in order to exemplify the? objects and ther specic"embodimentsl of fmyfinventionn Thezbasi'c'principlefof the rel'ayflies inthe-'conftrol` of a flux. of -electriedechargescin the fair, at That. uXLisr-obtainod preferablyv negative.

Yihen asharp metallica point r:is .ecarriedz::tooa

high negative. i tension with respect i to.: :fgroun'd (for ins-tance six -K thousandi.v volts,` iti becomes ycovered with a .glowy (on corona) which Agiveslfbirth toz'atfnowfof current throughA theaair;l Thatffglow is particularly"developedf'i1aiplane conductor. is placed at a shortv distance fr.om.thepoints(5mm. for imetancob-f;y .that conductngyplate h-being'gconnected-f between .theepositivefpoleof afsourcefor voltage and ground. A glow discharge current may be observed, which may easily reach a magnitude of 50 or even 80 microamperes. The said current, issuing from the point and collected by the plate, can be controlled by means of metallic grids, maintained at appropriate voltages, and disposed along the trajectory of the electrified particles. The control thus obtained seems to have effect on both the electrons and the charged molecules or atoms'constituting the current flow.

The grids are made out of very thin nickel wires (/100 of mm. in diameter or so) the meshes are large in comparison with the diameter of the wire, but small, in absolute value (square meshes having for instance a dimension of 0.8 mm. by 0.8 mm.).

If several grids are placed in succession along the trajectory of the electrified flux, each one of them can exercise its control on the current collected by the plate.

Fig. 1 shows the general diagram of a relay of the type described, specially intended for television. l is a point carried to a negative high tension 6000 volts) With reference to ground, by means of the battery BI. 2 is a first grid, the distance of which from the point amounts to about 5mm. The voltage of the said grid may be varied by means of the additional variable voltage source 5. A polarisation battery B2 allows the selection of the most favorable condition of working. 3 is a second grid, connected to the ground and placed at a. rather short distance `from the first one (about 0.5 mm.) 4 is a third grid, 'also placed at a short distance from the second grid (about 0.5 mm.), and the mean voltageof which with regard to the ground can be varied by means of the source of variable voltage 6. 1 is a collecting plate, of about 5 mm. in diameter for instance, and placed at a short distance from the grid 4 (1 to 2 mm. for instance). The said plate is established at a rather high voltage with respect to ground (1000 to 2000 volts or so), by means of the battery B3. 8 is a ring surrounding the point l at a, short distance (about 1 mm.) the voltage of which can be changed with regard to the said point by means of the commutator C.

I" Under those conditions, the current collected by the plate 1 is a function of the magnitudes of 'voltages supplied by both the variable outside voltage sources 5 and 6.

Fig. 2 shows the characteristic curves, plotted in static operation, of a relay of the above glow discharge type: they have for abscissae the volts Ve applied to the grid 2 with regard to the ground, and for ordinates the micro-amperes of current collected by the plate l. Each one of the 3 curves .Vr corresponds to a different value of the voltage of the grid 4 (Vg expressed in volts).

The grid 3, called a stabilizing grid, plays an Yimportant part in the operation of the relay shown in Fig. 2. My experiments have shown 4:that the grid' 3' stabilizes and regulates the glow discharge issuing from the point, and improves considerably, from point o f view of the proporftionality of response, the response of the relay to the control voltage applied to the grid 4, inter- Lposed between the stabili'zing'grid 3 and the plate.

:The grid 3 oiers also the advantage o f increasing the sensitivity of the relay; an advantage which 4hasrbeen turned to account in Fig. 3 as will be plication ef-a positive voltage tothe plateva'ndla negative voltage to the point, those polarities can be reversed, as the glow discharge includes both the positive and the negative charges; reversal of the polarities of point and plate, then, reverses direction of the current in the utilisation or load circuit of the system.

While the relay of my invention has a relatively small output and a limited efiiciency, it oiers the advantages of simple construction in a small space, and of exceptional simplicity of replacement and repair. It may nd application in all sorts of electric installations intended for distributing electric signals between a very large number of receiving devices, connected in parallel on one common transmission channel; this latter being, either one cable, or one carrier wave. Such a condition is met with, especially, in television systems in which the picture is displayed on a. large screen comprising a large number of electro-optical elements for converting video signals into opticalimpulses. Such a screen has been particularly described in my U. S. Patent No. 2201,066, dated 1/7/37. All the component elements are connected in parallel to the same transmission line by means of relays which normally block their connections; and the distribution of the signals, coming through the transmission line in succession, is made by activating the respective relays, periodically, in a determined order of succession, such systems of television, the numbers of elements, and consequently the number ofrelays required. is necessarily very large, and for that reason the only type of relay which is suitable to such television systems is the relay arranged according to my invention. The mode of distribution of signals by means of relay activation has been described not only in the above mentioned U. S. patent, but also more recently in my applications Serial No. 102,062, filed 20.10.36, now abandoned, and No. 213,289, led 11/6/38, now Patent No. 2,471,253.

For application of relays having the characteristics shown in Fig. 2, the only portion of the curve which should be utilised is the part comprised inside of the hatched lines ABCD, to which correspond for the plate an intensity of current nearly proportional to the voltage applied to the grid 2. Under those conditions Vr and Ve are comprised between 0 and 100 volts. I have ascertained experimentally that the translation speed of the electric charges is rather high (about 300 meters per second), i. e. high enough to enable the second and third grids to exercise simultaneous control. The actual lapse of time between the passage of charge by the two grids amounts to a minimum of 1/iaooo of a second in the relay under consideration. The time is variable as a function of the applied voltages, and of the distance between the grids.

For using the relay of Fig. 1 in television, the

video signals are, for example, applied to the grid 2; and to the grid 4 are applied the activating impulses which'enable the transmission of the said impulses-to the utilisation circuits. On the plate l `are collected Athe distributed signals, which are then stored in the capacity of 'an electrometerA which represents the electro-optical element.

It is also possibleto use' av relay provided with only one control grid, andtoapply the activating impulses tothe plate."v This latter solution, easier to realize 'than the lfor-nier, has been adopted in thefollnwingvexamples. v. v

The ringV 8 'exercise's also-control vof the -lntens'ity .or the `glow@discharge?buteitsi;action is tain diiculty is met with, due to the current consumed by the points. If each one of the points, for instance, should issue continuously a current of 80 microamperes, the 200,000 points of a picture would, in toto, represent a total intensity of 16 amperes at 6000 volts, i. e. a power of about 100 kw.

According to an improved form of realisation of my invention, (not illustrated) the output current of the successive rows of glow discharge devices is controlled by means of rings properly polarised and surrounding each one of the points, as already explained in connection with Fig. 1 (rings 8). In this way it becomes possible considerably to reduce the output of the high tension generator needed for the energy supply to the points. The voltages of the rings are, in the course of time, controlled in such a way that the glow discharge takes place only on the horizontal line which must release its current at the proper moment (or on a few neighbouring lines only). To this aim, the rings are supplied by means of voltages displaced in the course of time and provided by the distributor R.

Fig. shows a further embodiment of the invention.

The two point electrodes III and H3 included in the device are connected to the oppositely polarized terminals of the high tension batteries II2 and I I4, which provide them with opposite potentials with regard to ground. In the front of the point electrodes I I I, H3, are disposed two grids I I5 and I I6, which correspond to the grids I3 of the Fig. 3, and between the two grids is interposed one sole plate I'I connected with the electro-optical element which is herein represented -as a gold leaf electroscope H8. If it is necessary progressively to modulate the ux of the electried charges as a function of the intensity of the televised point, it must be understood that another grid G must be added, and placed between the plate II'I and the grid H6 (as the equivalent grid I3 of the Fig. 3).

The battery II2 polarises the point III negatively with respect to the grid H6, the circuit including resistance |20. In series with resistance |20 are the switch |2I and the battery |24, connected as shown in the Fig. 5. To the grid negative terminal of battery |24 is connected the grid II5 through resistance |23, and between the grid I I5 and ground is interposed the switch |22.

The device thus organised operates as follows:

When the switch I2I is open, the grid IIE and the plate II'I are at ground potential, provided, however, that the capacity of the electroscope I8 has no initial charge. As I have had the occasion of observing in my researches, when the stabilizing grid is at the same potential as the collecting electrode with respect to the point electrode, the whole of the ux (be it positive or negative) is attracted by the said grid and practically no current follows the path of the collecting electrode. At the precise instant of the arrival, however, of a signal intended for the electro-optical element II8, the switch |2I is closed. The closing of the switch I2I has for effect to impose, on the positive voltage of the grid I I6 with reference to the point I I I, a reduction in volts equal to the voltage of the battery |24: and this results in giving the plate I I'I a positive potential higher than the grid potential with reference to the point electrode I I5. Consequently, the plate now starts collectng the negative particles issued from'the point electrode H5. At the same time` asthe grid G haslreceived the video signa1s, it so modulates the discharge that a signal appears in the plate cir- Icuit and gives the condenser IIB a charge which is a function of the brightness of the corresponding image point. A negative charge with reference to the ground is now accumulated on the plate H1. And for enabling the plate to release the said charge in order that the electrometer m-ay receive the video signal transmitted with the following image, the switch |22 is closed a short time before the arrival of the following video signal.

As long as the switch I2I remains open, the grid I I5 is carried, on account of the'battery |24, to a potential more negative than the plate II'I with reference to the point H3: no discharge therefore can reach the plate, the whole of the flux being then positive and attracted by the grid because it is more negative.

The closing ofthe switch |22 has for effect to ground the grid H5; and as the plate I'I is carried by the charge of the condenser H8 to a negative potential with reference to the ground, it collects the positive flux, which discharges the condenser |I8. When the condenser is fully discharged and its discharge current has stopped, the plate is as the grid at the potential of the ground. The switch |22 must be opened only just before the arrival of the following signal intended for the same electrometer. The resistances |20 and |23 serve to stabilize the potential of their respective grids.

Lastly, my invention relates to the application of the relays of the above described types to the amplification of variable D. C. or A. C. electric currents, and more particularly the amplication of the telegraph and telephone currents. As the glow discharge devices havanot a large output, there is advantage to dispose side by side, according to the invention, a large number of relays (for instance several hundred) which are parallel connected in order to be able to supply intensities of current convenient for an easy utilisation.

What I claim is as follows:

l. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere substantially at atmospheric pressure, a sharp discharge member, an electric discharge pervious electrode located adjacent said sharp discharge member, means for maintaining a constant potential difference between said member and said electrode to establish a discharge of constant intensity, a discharge collector electrode for collecting discharge passing through said electric discharge pervious electrode, means for maintaining said collector electrode at a fixed potential with respect to said electric discharge pervious electrode, and a control electrode of controllable potential located intermediate said collector electrode and said discharge pervious electrode.

2. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere, a sharp discharge member, an electric discharge pervious electrode located adjacent said sharp discharge member, means for maintaining a constant potential difference between said member and said electrode to establish a discharge of substantially constant intensity, a discharge collector electrode for collecting discharge passing throughv said electric discharge pervious electrode, means for maintaining said collector electrode at a xed potential with respect to saidelectric discharge pervious electrode,l and a control electrode of controllable potentiallocated intermediate said colsacca-eee lector electrode andl ksaid rvdischarge pervious f electrode.

zing its axis co-axial WithsaidseIOngatedsharp hdischarge member, means for maintaining arconstant potential difference between said ring shaped electrodel andsaid' 'sharp"discharge member ytoestablish a dischargeor substantially con,-

fstantiintensity, a discharge collector electrode for collecting discharge passing through said ring shaped electrode, means for maintaining said collector electrode substantially at a xed potential with respect to said electric discharge pervious electrode, a load circuit connected in series with said collectoi` electrodeand a control electrode of controllable potential located intermediate with said collector electrode and said ring shaped electrode.

4. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere substantially at atmospheric pressure, a sharply pointed discharge member, a collecting electrode placed opposite said electrode, a plurality of grids disposed seriatim between said rst mentioned electrodes in the trajectory of the glow discharge existing therebetween, and means for Varying the potential of at least one of said grids in order to vary the intensity of said glow discharge at said collector electrode.

5. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere substantially at atmospheric pressure, at least one sharply pointed electrode, a collecting electrode located opposite said sharply pointed electrode, and a ring shaped electrode arranged co-axial with and adjacent said sharply pointed electrode.

6. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere substantially at atmospheric pressure, a sharply pointed electrode, a ring electrode substantially co-aXial with and adjacent said sharply pointed electrode, means for impressing a constant potential difference between said electrodes to accomplish a glow discharge from said sharply pointed electrode, a discharge collector electrode, and a plurality of, grids located intermediate said discharge collector electrode and said ring electrode for controlling the intensity of discharge collected by said collector electrode.

7. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere substantially at atmospheric pressure, a discharge collecting electrode, a rst sharply pointed glow discharge electrode located on one side of said collecting electrode, a further sharply pointed glow discharge member located on the other side of said collector electrode, means for maintaining a constant voltage dii-ference between each of said glow discharge members and said collector electrode, and at least one control grid located on each side of said collector electrode intermediate said collector electrode and said sharply pointed discharge members.

8. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere, a sharp glow discharge member, a discharge collecting electrode, means maintaining said electrodes at substantially a constant diierence of potential, an output load circuit connected intermediate said electrodes, a plurality of control grids located intermediate said electrodes, means for maintaining one of said control grids at a constant potential intermediates. the .potential between :said-electrodes, a

A,sourcezlofs signal to bel amplified, and means; for applying-said .signals tol. bei amplified ,-tov the remainingone oi..said1 control grids. v

9. An electric vdischarge dei/ice, comprising linra gaseous atmosphereV substantially at 1 atmospheric pressure, :as sharp 1 discharge member, an electric discharge pervious --electrode vlocated adjacent saidY sharp `dischargeV member,v means :for maintaininguai constantlpotential' diierence of a iirst polarity-between saidmemberiand--said electrodev to v establisha adischarge` of' constant intensity, a discharge collector electrode for collecting discharge passing through said electric discharge pervious electrode, means for maintaining said collector electrode at a fixed potential of said first mentioned polarity with respect to said electric discharge pervious electrode, a plurality of control electrodes located intermediate said electric discharge pervious electrode and said discharge collector electrode, and means for applying different control signals to each of said control electrodes.

10. An electric discharge system, comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere, a sharp discharge member, an electric discharge pervious electrode located adjacent said sharp discharge member, means for maintaining a constant potential difference of a rst polarity between said member and said electrode to establish a discharge of constant intensity, a discharge collector electrode for collecting discharge passing through said electric discharge pervious electrode, means for maintaining said collector electrode at a Xed potential of said iirst sign with respect to said electric discharge pervious electrode, a further electric discharge pervious member located intermediate said i'lrst mentioned electric discharge pervious electrode and said collector electrode,'means for maintaining said further discharge pervious electrode at a fixed diierence of potential intermediate the potential of said rst mentioned electric discharge pervious electrode and said collector electrode, a control electrode located intermediate said first mentioned electric discharge pervious electrode and said further electric discharge pervious electrode, means for maintaining said control electrode at a normal potential intermediate the potentials of said rst mentioned electric discharge pervious electrode and said second further electric discharge pervious electrode, means for varying the potential of said rst control electrode in response to a control signal, a second control electrode located intermediate said further electric discharge pervious electrode and said collector electrode, means for Varying the potential of said further control electrode with respect to said further electric discharge pervious electrode comprising a source of signal voltage.

11. An electric discharge system comprising, in a gaseous atmosphere substantially at atmospheric pressure, a collection electrode, a iirst sharply pointed glow discharge member, a second sharply pointed glow discharge member, said collector electrode having oppositely disposed surfaces, said rst discharge electrode located opposite one of said surfaces, said second discharge electrode located opposite the other of said surfaces, means for maintaining said discharge electrodes at potentials of constant and respectively opposite polarity with respect to said collector electrode, and means for independently controlling discharge between said discharge electrodes and said collector electrodes.

12. Ah electric discharge system, comprising, REFERENCES CITED a source oi corona glow at atmospheric pressure, an electric charge pervious electrode located adjam515 mthlilgvgtrferens are of record in the cent said source, means for establishing a constant ow of electricity between said glow and 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS said electrode, said electricity at least in part Number Name Date penetrating said electrode, means for collecting 2,231,877 Bennett Feb. 18 1941 said electricity after penetration of said electrode, 2,287,749 Smyter June 23' 1942 and means for controlling the intensity of electric ow to said means for collecting, said last lo FOREIGN PATENTS means comprising a control electrode. Number Country Date PIERRE MARIE GABRIEL r:COUT-ONZ 48,904 France Sept. 21, 1938 

